Chromecast root access achieved via Teensy boards

The Teensy USB Development Board made by PJRC is famous with DIY hobbyists, students, and budding computer engineers for its low-cost microcontroller chip and AVR processor, and for its easy usage via USB. The guys over at XDA have now used the earlier versions of the Teensy board – the Teensy 2.0 and the Teensy 2 ++ – to create an exploit that gives root access to your Chromecast device.

The process itself requires that you have in possession a Teensy 2.0 board or the slightly longer Teensy 2 ++ board. If you don’t have one, those are easily purchased via the PJRC links that are cited in the XDA forum thread (check the source link). There are also some software requirements that are linked on the thread, easily downloadable. You would also need a few cables – an OTG USB cable, and a USB-to-miniUSB for programming the Teensy board. Lastly, you would need a 1GB (at least) flash drive for flashing your Chromecast device.

The process is pretty straightforward and is clearly lined up in the thread. The exploit is guaranteed to work on Chromecast’s current software build, as well as new devices which haven’t been connected to the internet yet. Watch the demo below.

A logical question for non-techy users would be – what are the advantages of a rooted Chromecast? Well for one, you now have the ability to cast video from any Android phone or tablet to your Chromecast, whereas the original unrooted software would be very picky in the devices it allowed to cast to it. Then there’s audio casting, and using custom firmware to get even more out of your Chromecast. The warning, as always, is to research the heck out of the process before even trying it. But the payoff is ultimately sweet.